Eight More Chicago Police Officers Accused of Pandemic Relief Fraud
Chicago’s Inspector General has identified eight additional police officers who allegedly obtained pandemic relief funds they were not entitled to, bringing the total number of accused officers to 44. The investigation, detailed in a report released Thursday, centers on the misuse of federal programs established to sustain businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Clinical Takeaways:
- Investigators confirmed eight more Chicago police officers improperly accessed $191,000 in federal pandemic aid.
- The total count of officers implicated in these fraud schemes has reached 44, with 67 open fraud cases currently under review.
- The Office of the Inspector General has recommended the termination of six of the newly identified officers, while two others resigned during the investigation.
Evidence of Fraud in Federal Pandemic Programs
Inspector General David Glockner reported that the eight officers secured more than $191,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and a federal economic injury disaster assistance program. These programs were designed to provide a financial lifeline to businesses facing collapse during the 2020 and 2021 pandemic lockdowns. Hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud have been identified in those same programs.
Status of Ongoing Investigations
Glockner, who assumed his role in May, is working to clear a backlog of 67 fraud investigations, many of which have remained open for over a year. His quarterly report indicates that a significant portion of these aged cases involves pandemic assistance fraud and is nearing completion. The inspector general noted that many of these remaining cases also involve Chicago police personnel. This latest group of findings follows a series of earlier reports, including a July update from Glockner that closed eight other cases and previous findings by his predecessor, Deborah Witzburg, which identified 28 officers involved in similar misconduct.
Inspector General Recommends Firing Six Police Officers
The administrative fallout for the eight officers identified in the latest report is immediate: the Office of the Inspector General has recommended that the department move to fire six of them. The remaining two officers resigned while investigators were still finalizing their evidence. Beyond administrative discipline, the matter has reached the federal court system. Two former Chicago police officers and one sergeant are currently awaiting trial on charges related to defrauding the PPP program.
Future Regulatory Oversight
The resolution of these cases remains a priority for the inspector general’s office as it works through the remaining backlog. The office has not yet provided a final date for the completion of all 67 pending fraud cases, though the quarterly report suggests the investigation is reaching its final stages.